


Running On Empty

by Silverbreeze424



Category: Half-Life VR But The AI Is Self Aware
Genre: Frenrey can be read as platonic, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:43:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27838549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverbreeze424/pseuds/Silverbreeze424
Summary: “Gordon Freeman had been running on empty for the entire time he’d been stuck in Black Mesa since the Resonance Cascade, but now that his arm had been cut off, he was running on something less than that. “
Relationships: Benrey & Bubby & Tommy Coolatta & Dr. Coomer & Gordon Freeman, Benrey & Gordon Freeman, Benrey/Gordon Freeman, Bubby & Gordon Freeman, Dr. Coomer & Gordon Freeman, Tommy Coolatta & Gordon Freeman
Comments: 7
Kudos: 146





	Running On Empty

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally supposed to be a Frenrey fic but I am not immune to team as family

Gordon Freeman had been running on empty for the entire time he’d been stuck in Black Mesa since the Resonance Cascade, but now that his arm had been cut off, he was running on something less than that. 

He’s exhausted, bloody, and missing a hand, but still, he trudged on, HEV suit clanking loudly with each step. Coomer and Bubby were talking about something up ahead, Tommy was somewhere out of sight, and Benrey’s steps were barely audibly just behind Gordon. The idea of Benrey being so close but out of sight would have terrified Gordon a few hours ago, but at this point, he felt he didn’t have much to lose. What was he going to do? Cut off his other arm? Maybe a leg? Finally just kill him? Gordon really couldn’t bring himself to care.

“Hurry up Gordon! You’re slowing us down!” Bubby groused from up ahead, and Gordon jolted.

“Gordon, at this rate, we’ll reach the Lambda Lab in 3.4 years!” Coomer chimed in cheerfully, but his message was clear: Gordon was slowing them down.

“Mm. Sorry.” Gordon mumbled, reaching his functional hand up to grip his wrist, trying to staunch the flow of blood. Considering the HEV suit, it didn’t work. 

“You better be! Keep up this pace and we’re going to leave your ass!” Bubby snapped, still not looking over at Gordon. 

Despite knowing it was likely an empty threat, the mere thought of being left alone in Black Mesa, down an arm and surrounded by a thousand different threats, made Gordon shudder. He left out a sharp breath, and started walking faster. His vision swam, and his arm pulsed painfully with each step. He didn’t slow down.

“That’s the spirit, Gordon!” Coomer praised.

“Hey you look like shit.” Bubby said now that Gordon had caught up to the pair. 

Gordon felt a spike of fear go through him. If he looked as bad as he felt, then surely they’d leave him? They’d recognize him as the dead weight he was, wait for him to pass out, and then press on ahead without him, leaving Gordon to bleed out or be killed by aliens or brutalized by the military again.

“I-I’m fine,” Gordon managed to stutter out, turning to Bubby with wide, desperate eyes. Bubby grimaced and looked away. 

“Why are you being such a little liar huh? Gordon Lieman? Stupid idiot can’t even admit it when he’s not feeling very cash money?” Benrey jabbed from behind the trio, and Gordon trembled slightly at the voice.

“I-“

“Now Gordon, emotional transparency is very important when working in a team!” Coomer tutted. His pace slowed down, almost imperceptibly, and Bubby and Gordon slowed to match it. 

“Yeah man you gonna be all opaque? Gonna conceal don’t feel don’t let them know?”

“I-“ Gordon squeezed his eyes shut, anxiety and anger swirling in his gut. “Why- why would I tell you guys anything?” He burst out, gesturing widely and glaring around at the group. “So you can make fun of me?”

“Now Gordon-“

“So you can all point and laugh because ‘oh there Gordon goes again, always so weak and useless!’” Gordon continues the gesture, head swimming with each movement of his arm.

“Gordon-“

“Or maybe you just want an excuse to finally drop me, huh? Finally get rid of the dead weight that’s been following you around this whole time?” His vision blurred, and he could hear the blood from his arm splash against the ground, half-formed scabs tearing open with the movement.

“Bro-“

“Well here you go! You want transparency? Well here’s your fucking transparency! I’m exhausted! I have never felt such intense pain in my life, and I’m pretty sure there’s more blood outside my body than in at this point! Every time I move I feel like it’ll be the last step I get in before I keel over and die! I-“ Gordon’s vision blacked out briefly, and his words caught in his throat. Distantly he registered approaching footsteps. “I-“

“M-Mister Freeman-“

Gordon had enough time to see Tommy rounding the corner ahead with a terrified look on his face, before his vision went completely dark.

oOo

Gordon woke up feeling… weird, first of all. Light and floaty and sore, yes, but not nearly as much as he has been. He considered opening his eyes, but decided to try to figure out what’s going on before he did. He started at his feet, which, yes, definitely are still attached to his legs. He flexed them experimentally and… huh. That’s a larger range of movement then he’s used to in the HEV suit. As he slowly took stock of the rest of his body, he realized the light, floaty feeling is because he’s not wearing the HEV suit at all… which he should probably be concerned about. 

He pushed that thought back, and continued to take stock of his body. He clenched one fist- still attached, great. The other one’s still gone and pulsing painfully with each beat of his heart, but it didn’t hurt as bad as it used to. It still hurt like hell, but an improvement is an improvement. 

He took a deep breath, and yeah, definitely free of the HEV suit. His ribs don’t ache painfully with each breath though, which is another improvement.

He got up to his head and shoulders, and realized they’re elevated slightly. He’s laying on his back, and something was underneath him, like a pillow. He moved his head a little, nuzzling his cheek against whatever he’s using as a pillow. It’s not soft, in fact, it feels a lot like denim, which-

“Bro thats kinda gay ngl.” A voice said from above him, and Gordon jolted up immediately- only to hit something hard and instantly fall back down. “Ow.”

That ‘something hard’ turned out to be Benrey’s chin, he realized as he stared incredulously at the guard who’s lap his head rests in. They give him a grin.

“Hey man what’s up.”

“What- what’s-“

“Oh! Mr. Freeman! You’re awake! That’s- that’s great news!” Tommy said, and Gordon sat up more carefully this time to get a look around.  
They’re in what appears to be a break room. Benrey was sitting on a couch, with Gordon sprawled out across it, head formerly in his lap. Coomer, Bubby, and Tommy were all seated on the floor in a small circle, as if they were discussing something before Gordon woke up. Anxiety churned in his stomach.

“Ah, hello Gordon!” Coomer chimed in cheerfully, but there’s something less than cheerful on his face. The anxiety worsens.

“Wha- what are… what are you all doing here?” Gordon managed after a moment. All eyes are on him and it makes him want to shrivel up and disappear. 

“Waiting for you to wake up, dickshit.” Bubby snapped back, but he's the first one to stand up and look over Gordon. 

“... why?” Gordon said, voice weak. He went to tug at his hair to ground himself but… oh, right. He’s missing a hand. At least the wound seemed to be bandaged now.

“Because, Gordon, despite what you might think, we aren’t just going to leave you behind!” Coomer explained, standing up as well. 

Gordon didn't have anything to say about that. He grits his teeth instead, looking at the floor.

“Do- do you really think we’d leave you, Mr. Freeman?” Tommy said, voice wavering even more than usual as he wrung his hands together and stared at Gordon with wide eyes. 

Gordon opened his mouth to say something, but nothing beyond a choked noise came out. Gordon was willing to believe Tommy would stay by his side, because the older man was far too kind for his own good, but Coomer and Bubby too? It was hard to believe. We’re they really so incompetent that they needed Gordon of all people to lead them? 

“Gonna uh. Gonna have to get a refund on the PhD, Gordumb.” Benrey said, and despite their teasing words, their voice was softer than usual.

“I- I don’t-“

“Then listen up, Gordon, because I’m only saying this once!” Coomer interrupted, holding up a single finger. Gordon looked at him for a moment, before looking away. “This might be hard to believe, but we all care about you very much! The last thing we would want is for you to be left helpless, wandering the halls of Black Mesa alone!”

“A-and! We’re really sorry we made you feel that… feel like that wasn’t the case! We love you and want to help you even if we- we aren’t good at showing it!”

Bubby just nodded, looking towards the floor with a grimace. Benrey stared holes into the side of Gordon’s head and was equally quiet.

Gordon was at a loss for words. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise- Coomer had been looking after him for as long as he had worked here, and Tommy had never been anything but kind, and even Bubby seemed to care in his own weird way, but it still hit Gordon hard.

Gordon let out a choked sob, his one hand going up to cover his eyes.

“Ah fuck.” Bubby said empathetically. “Told you we shouldn’t have said anything.”

There’s a sound of an overly harsh pat on the back. 

“I-it’s ok Mr. Freeman! Let it out!”

“You go man, chase that emotional release. Fuck yeah.” Benrey added monotonously.

“S-Sorry-“

“You don’t have anything to apologize for, my good bitch!” Coomer interrupted.

“Slowing everyone down-“

“What if I got hurt.” Bubby cut in, and Gordon pulled his hand away from his eyes to look at him.

“What?”

“What if I got badly injured- not that I would, of course- and wanted to rest for a day? Would you let me, or would you keep on going?”

“I- I would let you rest as long as you needed-“

“Would you be angry at me?”

“No- of- of course not!” Gordon gave him an incredulous stare.

“Then why would we be angry at you?” Bubby finished, crossing his arms and cocking an eyebrow.

Gordon paused. Because you don’t care about me, he thought of saying, but didn’t. Because that’s the whole point, isn’t it? That’s what they’ve been trying to say. They do care about him. They waited for him, took care of him when he was hurt, reassured him when he woke up…

Gordon let out a breath, going boneless and slumping back against the back of the couch, before falling against Benrey. Benrey jumped at the sudden contact, letting out a surprised note. Three little orbs of sweet voice emerged from their mouth, going from a blush pink, to a pale purple, to a soft blue. Benrey slapped their hands over their mouth to prevent any more from coming out as Gordon sighed into their shoulder. 

“Pink to blue means- oh!” Tommy cut himself off.

“Whuh?” Gordon mumbled, already growing drowsy again. Benrey was warm, and god, Gordon hadn’t had direct physical contact the entire time he was in the HEV suit, and even before that… 

“Oh, Mr. Freeman, it’s- it’s really really private! I shouldn’t tell you!” Tommy insisted, nodding his head along to his words to emphasize his point.

Gordon mumbled a protest, but couldn’t form any actual words. Instead, he turned to bury his face more fully in Benrey’s shoulder, and drifted off to sleep once again.


End file.
